By TC News Desk
Agartala, October 31, 2022: The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) KS Sethi on Monday highlighted achievements and works done under the Forest department across the state in last four financial years.
Speaking to the reporters here at Civil Secretariat on Monday afternoon, PCCF KS Sethi that the Forest department has carried out afforestation of 10,360 hectares in the ongoing financial year till September last through the funds available under externally aided projects, CAMPA, NAP, State Plan and MGNREGA.
He said that the department has a robust nursery program for raising seedlings not only for its Departmental plantation requirement, but also for supplying to other Departments, Agencies, Institutions and general public for planting out with a view to increasing tree cover outside forests. Till September in this fiscal year, 22.82 hectares of seedlings produced in lakhs while 53.03 hectares in 2021-22 and 32.14 hectares in 2020-21 FYs.
During the year 2021-22, 421 checkdams were created with a water area of 133 hectares. During the year 2022-23, the department has a target of creation of 627 checkdams including Amrit Sarovar sites which will be taken up during the dry period. The Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched on National Panchayati Raj Day on 24th April 2022 as a part of celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav with an objective to conserve water for future. The Mission is aimed at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country. As part of the mission Amrit Sarovar, the Tripura Forest department is undertaking creation of 390 water bodies in all districts of the state, he added.
PCCF Sethi also said that four Nagar Vans have been inaugurated at Dharmangar, Kumarghat, Teliamura and Udaipur under Nagar Can Yojana. The central government has funded Rs 4 lakh/hectare to each Nagar Van. Moreover, School Nursery Yojana has been started in 112 schools in 2020-21 and 2022-23 FYs for raising 1000 seedlings through students and spent Rs 11.2 lakh for this purpose. Under Chief Minister Swanirbhar Parivar Yojana, about 9.28 lakh seedlings were distributed to eligible beneficiaries and 9.35 lakh seedlings in 2021-22 and till September of 2022-23 FYs, respectively, PCCF told reporters.
It is worthy to mention here that the total forest cover (canopy cover) of the state of Tripura is 7721.52 sq. km. which is 73.64% of total geographical area of the state (ISFR 2021). The State is divided territorially into 8 Forest Districts, 17 Forest Sub-divisions, 4 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 59 Forest Ranges and 283 Forest Beats.
